Yoram Kornatzky

Are Ionic and PhoneGap Doomed?

React Native Appears

Once React Native appeared, you have a major JavaScript framework React compiling cross-platform into native mobile.

Break the Web View Jail

Suddenly, you have a hybrid mobile app platform that breaks the confines of the Web View.

One can integrate native code directly.

What Does it Mean for Ionic

Well, Ionic has been one of the queens of the hybrid mobile scene with its slick integration of Angular into mobile. But it lives within the Web View jail.

Ionic seems to be shooting in all directions, moving into web components with Stencil, and letting you develop in an increasing spectrum of JavaScript components.

But it is still a jail.

What Does it Mean for PhoneGap

PhoneGap (and Cordova) is the precursor of Ionic and the underlying layer of it. Nowadays it is used whenever Ionic and similar frameworks either do not have the appropriate set of UI components for the task, or a JavaScript framework other than Angular is desired.

Am I Narrowing My View

Certainly, this is my personal experience. But talking to a wide range of startups in Tel Aviv this is what you hear.

The Verdict

For the quick and simple to the complex and big, React Native is eating Ionic and PhoneGap. So Ionic and PhoneGap are doomed.